A Gentleman is simply a patient Demon
by RyderofClouds
Summary: Searching for the one can be a difficult quest and is not without risks. You can make many mistakes along the way. The person you fell for may have a darker side, they kept hidden until they got what they wanted. One thing is certain; love hurts, whether it's genuine or not, romantic or familial. Tena Tyson learned this the hard way. Rated M for fight scenes & language.
1. Prologue

**Devil May Cry Fanfic**

**A gentleman is simply a patient demon**

**Mission 13: Nightly Predators**

_Unfortunately, the TV anime series of DMC stopped at episode 12, which disappointed me greatly, so this is to all the fans out there, my BFF (and myself ;), I wish to continue the Devil Hunter's and his companions' adventures. I do not own the series, nor the characters, Capcom does, I only try to sate my hunger for new episodes. I tried to keep them in character, so I really appreciate feedback. And now, without further ado, on to the story!_

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**Prologue**

The slightly rusted fan rotated sloth-like in the dark and dirty room. Although the room was dust-free, clear that it has been cleaned recently, pizzaboxes, some pizza slices, empty crushed beer cans and dirty clothes littered the floor or were hanging off every possible surface in the vicinity of the mahogany desk. A pair of boots were resting on top of it, their owner occupying the heavy wooden chair behind it. A women's fashion magazine covered his face but strands of white hair still stuck out in various angles. Light snoring, the fan rotating around and the quiet squeaks of lucky mice were the only noise to be heard. They hit quite the jackpot with this house's messy owner. One took hold of a bit of melted cheese on the snooker board, the others surrounded the pizza slice under the desk and started to devour it from all sides. The double doors creaked open. A flaxen little girl in a frilly pink dress stepped into the room and observed her surroundings with shock. The mice dispersed and hid in various corners of the room. She huffed, puffed and shook her head disapprovingly at the state of the chamber. She marched up to the white head and picked up the nearest beer can, aiming it at his head. The can missed his head, but it did push the magazine off his face, startling the young man awake. Furious baby blue eyes greeted him.

"What the…Patty!" he grumbled and yawned. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with your mum." He leaned back in his chair to return to Slumberland, but the little girl would not let him. "She is working today. Damn it, Dante. Why should I keep cleaning if this is what will become of it? You really need to learn to keep order especially if someone is nice enough to clean up for you."

"Exactly! Why should I bother if you are gonna fix it all anyway, like the little fairy you are?" he placed a new magazine on his face. "You jerk! Get up, Dante! If I am cleaning up, I might as well start with the cause!" she started hitting the man with her sweep brush, but all her might was simply no match for the bulky man. It did not hurt him per say, but it did annoy him; like a fly annoys you when it lands on your nose.

"Alright, I get it. You want me to leave." Dante pushed back his chair and stood up, picking up the box containing the last slice of pizza using the same momentum. He threw the box in the nearest bin and landed in the sofa as he started to munch on the slice. This single act of tidiness did not escape Patty's eye and she did a short "victory dance" and then started to hum a joyful tune whilst she gathered up the garbage in a black sack. Progress is progress no matter how small. Soon the sack was so full of waste, it was flowing out of it. Since it was so heavy, Patty grabbed its corners and started to drag it outside all the while moaning in pain. Once she reached the door, it opened and the waste fell to the floor again. "Nooooo!" She looked up at the culprit. "Morrison! Look what you have done!"

The newly arrival shot an apologetic look to the devastated girl. "Sorry Patty. I did not know you were there. You did a great job as always." He patted the top of her head, messing up her hair a little. The flaxen girl sighed and started to collect the mess again. Morrison sat down on the armchair facing Dante's resting form. Dante looked at him and then at the ceiling. "You got a job for me that actually pays as well?"

"Hmph! They would all pay well if you did them right without causing more havoc than the demons."

"Whatever, tell me about the job, before I change my mind." The dark blonde haired man rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "You know that rundown club on Oakley Road?" Dante nodded. "Well, four weeks ago a good number of women have gone missing and one thing is common about them all. They all went to that club."

"So, call the cops, people going missing is not my thing." Morrison snapped at Dante "I was getting to it if you'd let me! Anyway, what is interesting is that their bodies were found in various motels and hotels in the area. All that is left of them each time is a scorching skeleton."

"So it's pyromaniac psycho. So what?" Dante

"It still is an unnatural murder, isn't it? And since your debt is not getting any less, you might as well just check it out. The owner is pretty desperate as his clients are targeted and the women guests are the ones drawing in the male ones too. He is willing to pay $20000 for the demon's head." The young man's eyes lit up. "What have you to loose?"

"My shut-eye." The older man raised an eyebrow at his partner's immature reply. Dante sighed and sat up. "Fine, I was bored anyway." He stood up and picked up his twin guns, Ebony and Ivory from the coffee table. His red leather coat rested on the hanger beside the door. On his way out the door Morrison handed a heavy guitar case to the devil hunter. "Good luck." Dante just smirked and went out the door. "Don't need it." Morrison just shook his head amused and followed him to his car, where he gave the white haired man a lift to the club.

The owner was indeed desperate. He was pacing up and down his office during the short briefing and he would not accept a no, no matter the price. The plan was simple. They would wait until nightfall and then find the lady killer. Sounds simple enough. What could go wrong? Opening hours arrived soon enough and the last rays of sunshine disappeared behind the horizon. The DJ turned on the music and the doors opened to let the partying folk in. It's showtime!

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_This was the introduction. And the adventure's just about to start.  
_


	2. Chapter 1 - Chance encounter

_I want to thank Ladykemi for the kind words of encouragement. Don't worry, Patty will be back shortly. It would not truly be Devil May Cry without her and Dante bickering. _:D_ This chapter and the next will cover the mission, but the one after them will definitely have Patty in it, but I don't wanna spoil anything yet!_

_And now the adventure continues!_

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**Chapter 1 - Chance encounter**

The music poured out onto the streets loud enough for passerbys to guess the song playing. A long queue of youngsters stood in the entrance to the club. Most had the common sense to acquire a fake ID to be admitted inside. The guys wore sunglasses, fake leather or jean jackets and ripped jeans to appear older and cool. The girls applied enough makeup to put a common prostitute to shame, masking their actual age. Some new members stood awkwardly waiting their chance to go in, obviously not used to these kinds of places, but got dragged along by their buddies. A man in a red trenchcoat with a guitar case strapped to his back approached the club. He looked up at the purple neon sign.

"Siren's call. Fits alright. It makes the neighbours wonder where all this racket is coming from. "

He skipped the line earning some disapprovals from the queueing youngsters. The bouncer just glanced at him and sidestepped. "Get rid of this _pest_ fast and discreetly", he spit the word "pest". Dante just grunted in reply and entered the club. An obviously underage young lad tried to sneak in with him but got grabbed by the collar of his green shirt by the bouncer and thrown into the puddle next to the pavement. "Man, this was a new shirt!"

As the devil hunter got deeper into the club, the sound of techno music got louder and louder. The nauseating stench of smoke mixed with cheap perfume and sweat invaded his nose. He earned numerous lustful looks from nearby dancers, which he reciprocated with a wink. The devil hunter navigated through the crowd of sweaty bodies and eventually reached the bar. He ordered a strawberry sundae. The bartender raised his eyebrows, but soon came back with the order, prepared for the devil hunter's arrival. While enjoying his treat, he scanned the crowd for his possible target and occasionally admired some more provocative dancers on the elevated stages. The song changed and the remix of a pop song filled the room. A brunette dropped down in the empty seat next to his. Not soon after, an obviously drunk man placed a hand around her shoulders, but she swiftly elbowed him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him, then landed a backhanded punch in his face, forcing him off of her. With an annoyed expression, she brushed the cigarette ashes from the man's fingers off her shoulder and ordered a lemonade, but cancelled her order once she noticed the young man's sundae.

"I did not know they had icecream at this place. Gimme a lemon flavour!" The bartender muttered "great another one" under his breath. The young woman heard him though and stuck out her tongue at this back. Dante shook his head at her childish behaviour. The girl faced him, "Nice to see not only drunkard molesters for a change."

"Are you sure? Today may be different." She shook her head in reply. "A guy never orders an icecream at a party, unless he likes to have a clear head. At least that's my experience. Then again I don't really know people." Dante chuckled taking another spoonful into his mouth. Her icecream was placed in front of her soon after and she immediately started to devour her treat. He took another bite. "So I take it you are not here to have the time of your life?"

"Aw, hell to the nah! I'm here strictly on business, believe it or not. I like dancing as much as the next girl, but in a place where you can actually move without getting groped every few seconds." She shuddered in disgust then her turquoise eyes landed on a point behind Dante's back. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." He turned to see the sudden object of her attention. A raven haired young lad with a snakebite had a violet-haired chick clinging to his arm. The guy whispered something in the girl's ear which caused her to blush and giggle. Suddenly, the duo got up and headed deeper into the club.

"Friend of yours?" he casually asked. She let out a huff in annoyance. "As if, I have better taste!" She faced the man. "Anyway, it was nice talking to you…" she paused and made circular motions with her left hand, waiting for a name. "Dante." He replied.

She nodded with a smile. "Dante. Nice name. But that business ain't gonna solve itself! See you when I see you, then?" She paid for her order, but before she could get up, Dante caught her wrist and gave her a flirty look. "You know I gave you my name, but you never gave me yours." She looked into the crowd then back at him. "I'm Tena. Look I'd love to chat but I really got to go." And with that she wrenched her hand out of his grip, mock saluted with a cheeky grin and disappeared on the dance floor. He shook his head at her antics. _What an interesting babe._ All of a sudden, he sensed the presence of a demon. He was close, but was getting further and further. He stood up and started to speed walk in the direction of the scent easily navigating through the cramped dance floor. Being a demon himself, he could pinpoint the source even in a crowded place. The creature reeked of malicious intent. He left the club with Dante following his scent.

After passing six blocks, the scent led him to an old apartment. Some windows were covered up with carton where the glass was missing. Only some of them had curtains and even then they were some dull colour like brown or grey. The paint came off long ago in places and occasional iron bars protruded from the walls. It was in desperate need of repair. It's a wonder it has not fallen apart yet. Graffiti adorned the walls and it would not be surprising if the corridors were covered with it as well. He spotted the young man and the violet head from the club. She did not appear to be intoxicated, but for some reason she blindly trusted the stranger as he led her into this ruin of a building. Before the door could close, however, the silhouette of a woman slipped in unnoticed. _Well, tonight sure looks promising!_

He noticed the light flicker on in a room. He effortlessly leaped onto the window sill on the 2nd floor and glanced into the room. Sure enough the demon was closing the door and moving in on the unsuspecting chick. She was busy admiring the different drawings and posters on the walls. He grabbed her chin and gave her a passionate kiss. Her eyes opened and shone pink before returning to their natural silver. Soon a lovesick expression appeared on her face. He just smirked at her and closed in on her neck, his canines extending into proper fangs. Just as Dante was about to crash into the room and save the day, the door was kicked in and the incubus was shot twice in the head. The brunette girl from the club lowered her gun with shaking hands, smoke coming out of it. The demon fell back but before he could hit the ground, he transformed into his true form and launched himself at the intruder.

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_Here you have it, chapter 1. The next chapter will have a little fight scene, so you can skip to Chapter 3. Don't worry, I will recap for those who decided to skip so you won't feel left out._

_RyderofClouds out! : ) *waves super fast*_


	3. Chapter 2 - The Night's Predator

_I'm very sorry for not updating for so long especially after such a cliffhanger! I would like to thank those of you who are still interested in the story. Your support means a lot to me. Now, instead of listing my (reasonable) excuses I'll reward you with a second chapter for your patience. To be honest, I'm a little nervous, this is the first time I'm writing a fight scene, although I always pretend to be a part of them in movies by jumping around and punching the air in front of me (yeah, I try not to punch actual people I'm watching the movies with) XD Please enjoy the chappy!_

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**Chapter 2 - The Night's Predator**

Before he could reach the young woman, however, she rolled out of the way to avoid his strike, pulled out a pair of kitchen knives from her baggie khaki combat pants and stabbed him in both shoulder blades. He simply chuckled and swirled around, knocking her into the wall adjacent to the spellbound chick from the bar, who was clutching her head and complained about a killer migraine. Starts dotted her vision upon impact and the air was knocked out of her lungs, yet with what little strength she had left, she tried to rise to her feet by leaning against the wall and aimed her gun at the demon's head. His double-irises of red-orange zeroed in on her, a twisted smile forming on his plump lips baring his long sharp canines at her. He looked her up and down and licked his lips. As his menacing form approached her, she raised her head to observe the demon towering above her. He was at least 1 meter 90 and had orange skin with tiger-like blood red stripes decorating his side, tail and cheeks. He had a lithe figure yet muscles could be made out along with a forming six pack. He had naturally spiky golden hair and his hands and feet bore sharp curved blood red claws. His long striped tail swished frantically from side to side, the sharp spikes on its tip scraping off the leftover paint from the walls as it kept making contact. Apart from his obvious demonic features, he was pretty good looking, then again this is expected of an incubus. He chuckled, then leaned towards her.

"I remember those unique turquoise eyes anywhere. Such a calming colour, yet your personality is anything but. It's impossible to forget a fiery vixen like you!" He reached a hand to touch her face but Tena hissed at him and slapped his hand away earning a chuckle from the incubus. "Ah, still as hot as ever, like fire. You are mesmerising yet painful to the touch. You break my heart in two." He placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "Pity, Mandie met such an unfortunate end. She was fun company, but a demon's gotta eat and I was _starving_ for a pure tasty soul." The carefree tone he used to mention his most recent victim outraged the brunette. She let out a war cry and leapt onto the incubus, pulling a switchblade out of her combat pants' pockets and aiming it straight for his throat. "You monster!" The demon was expecting this however, as was his plan all along. He grabbed her hands before the switchblade made contact with its mark and applied enough pressure to her hand, causing her to drop the object with a quiet hiss. It embedded itself in the wooden plank floors missing one of his four toes by a centimetre. He held her suspended in the air by her wrists.

"My, my. Did I hit a sore spot?" his mock concern caused her to growl at him and try in vain to kick him which amused the incubus even more. "Let me go you sicko!" she seethed in pure unadulterated rage. Suddenly shards of glass flew into the room from the broken window, some managing to cut the incubus, though his skin quickly regenerated.

"Dude, she said she's not interested! Take a hint!" The young woman seized her struggles for a second to observe the owner of the familiar voice, while the demon turned to address the newcomer and upon closer inspection of the individual, he let out a laugh. "Son of Sparda, we meet at long last!" Dante's eyebrows knit together, hating how his heritage always caught up to him. "Tonight is truly turning out to my favour. I get to devour the souls of 2 beautiful women and I can avenge my sister's killer." He swung at Dante with his spiky tail with such power that he was thrust through the wall and into the adjacent room, which happened to be the bathroom. The brunette just stared in shock at the hole in the wall where the man disappeared. _There is no way he survived that without sustaining serious damage to his spine and skull_. _Damn, he was pretty handsome too! _Suddenly Dante strolled leisurely out of the hole through the wall, brushing debris off his shoulder with one hand and holding Rebellion over his shoulder with the other, no evidence of any injury he should have sustained from the impact. Her eyes were ready to fall out of their sockets. _How is he fine after that?_ "Not even a scratch? Come on, you can do better than that I bet." Dante taunted the beast. The incubus growled and Tena was thrown next to the chick from the club who seemed to regain awareness of her surroundings and lay petrified in fear in the corner whimpering. Tena just rolled her eyes and instructed her to make her escape. "Stop whining you pathetic slut and get the hell out of here!" She did not need to be told twice as she raced out of the building, occasionally falling over her feet.

The two demons were circling each other, sizing each other up. "I was expecting you'd be taller." The incubus noted. "And I was hoping the local incubus would be better looking. Today's women have low standards." The incubus growled and Dante struck first but the incubus sidestepped and reciprocated with a swish of his tail. Dante jumped over it and while he was rotating in the air, he cut it off. The demon shrieked in pain and lashed out at the devil hunter furiously, his body engulfed by flames. Dante expertly avoided each flaming claw and using the demon's lack of focus, aimed Rebellion at his head. The incubus sensed this however and blocked the blow with his claws. The demon hunter then pushed the claws off his sword, then delivered a swift kick in the incubus' abdomen, sending him flying out the window onto the abandoned streets. He dove out soon after following his target. Tena, not wanting to be left out of the fun, picked up her discarded switchblade and raced out the room and the apartment.

Once she reached the exit, she saw the incubus aflame and Dante expertly avoiding its blows and fire breaths. She took out her gun and aimed it at the demon's hand, just as it was about to throw a larger fireball at Dante. It growled as the ball landed close to him and the blast momentarily blinded him, allowing Dante to stab him. He let out an animalistic howl in pain as Rebellion was sticking out of his stomach. As a last desperate attempt to save his life, he pushed the devil hunter off him and ejected all of its claws in the direction of Tena, quickly transforming into a hail of flaming arrows. Dante took out his twin guns and shot at the arrows, throwing them off course. When he turned back to finish the demon off, he disappeared in the nearby fire with only a Cheshire grin visible. Tena shot at the fire but it was clear that the demon has already fled.

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_So how was it? And as promised, chapter 3 is up as well! Now that the long deserved hols began, I can update a lot faster. Have a joyful and safe Christmas everybody!_

_RyderofClouds out_


	4. Chapter 3 - Solace

**Chapter 3 - Solace**

The girl fell on her knees and started to shake uncontrollably, her breathing becoming erratic, clutching her side and occasionally, wincing in pain. The devil hunter was at a loss of what to do. All the emotional mush always made him uncomfortable and at a loss of what to do. Still he slowly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly while leading her away from the run-down apartment and towards his parked motorbike. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye from time to time, but each time she would just stare ahead with lifeless eyes, some rogue tears escaping onto the cold hard cement. He eventually let out a sigh. "Look babe…" her left eye ticked, so he corrected himself. "Tena. It's pretty clear you went through one messed up night, but you can't let that affect you for the rest of your life. We all suffered losses. Learn to move on." Her eyes darted towards his and she came to an abrupt stop. Finally releasing her pent up emotions, she started to lash out at him. "Move on?! Just simply 'move on' you say?" Her voice trembled. "You let that bastard get away! Aren't you supposed to be some kind of demon fighter or something?!"

"Devil hunter actually." He corrected her. She waved it off. "Whatever, the point is you weren't good at it."

Dante interrupted her rant with his own. "Oh, really? Well listen babe! For your information, had I not stepped in and saved your ungrateful backside, you would have ended up in the same predicament as your friend so be a little more grateful! If I remember correctly, you were the perfect distraction for him to get away, so you don't get to blame me. Oh no! If anything else, you should be apologising for messing up my mission! I was gonna be paid quite handsomely too!" After his little rant they held a scowling contest for a while, until eventually Tena looked away and sighed.

"Alright, you're right, I'm sorry." She looked back at him with tired eyes. "I thought the most I had to worry about was avoiding prison for charge of murder, but I never expected he'd be an actual demon. Then again after that near-apocalyptic night a couple of months ago, I should have been prepared for anything. I guess I was rather fortunate to have you there." She gave him a small smile holding out her hand. "Let's start over. I'm Tena Tyson. Nice to meet you, Dante." Dante looked taken aback but quickly covered it with his usual smug smirk and took her hand. "There, that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

She sighed and nodded. They resumed their walk and the music from the club started to get louder with each step they took. Tena eventually broke the silence. "So what now? How do we stop him?"

Dante stopped in his steps. "We? There is no 'we', lady! Your personal sense of retribution almost got you killed!" He pointed an accusatory finger in her face, which she swatted away with a frown. "But I want justice, I want to be the one to take his life! For Amandine!" Angry tears started to cascade down her face again. The demon hunter's ice-blue eyes softened. He knew the feeling all too well, but she was only human. She couldn't stand her own against a demon. Suddenly Lady's determined face entered his mind. For a human, Lady is certainly a force to be reckoned with and she is hard-set on getting her way. Even demons cannot deter her, unless she's put against himself of course. He smiled at the memory. But revenge isn't going to bring back the dead. Tena would have to realise that.

"Hey." He lowered his head to her level. "Let's make a deal: I kill him and you get to keep his head knowing that the bastard responsible for your friend's murder is dead!"

"Not good enough, I want to see the life leave his vile eyes! 'Sides, what am I to do with a head?" she grimaced at the thought of holding a decomposing head. "Teach me to fight like you! I'd do anything, how much do you want? You know what, I'll even compensate you for tonight." His eyes lit up. She groaned. "Not that way, you pervert!" His shoulders visibly dropped.

"Come on! Please?" her eyes grew to an unnatural size and started to glisten with soon to be tears while her lips formed a cute childish pout. She reminded him so much of Patty at that moment. If nothing else, he could keep an eye on her, because chances are, the incubus will finish what he started. He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his head. "You know what, babe? Have lunch with me tomorrow and I'll accept your apology. And you bring the pizza! No olives! And about the training…well, we'll talk about it over lunch." She let out a squeal and hugged him. "Thank you, Dante, thank you!" He hugged her back but before his hands could travel further south, she stepped back. "Don't get your hopes up, I said we'll talk about it!" She smiled at him nevertheless. "That's only fair I guess, but you've already done more for me than most people I have met."

Dante stopped in front of a parked motorbike behind the club. He got on and patted the space behind him. She regarded him suspiciously. "I'll give you a lift, no funny business." He held up his hands in an innocent manner. "I happen to live close you know." She placed her hands on her hips. "With a demon out to get you running loose, walking home alone at night isn't exactly the best of ideas. Hop on already before I change my mind!" She jumped up behind him and he set off. "I live just 2 corners away, you can drop me off there."

She piped up once he drove past her apartment block. "Hey, you went past my house!" She was ready to jump off the moving vehicle. Dante glanced back at her. "Relax, babe! For the time being, it's safer in my shop. 'Sides, you'll know where to bring the pizza."

After 10 minutes of driving, they arrived at a smaller building between two larger apartments. The smaller building between them had seen better days, though the door and windows appeared new. She hopped off but Dante was unfazed by her dirty look. He casually strolled inside the shop, looking back at his guest from his doorstep shooting her an "are you coming or not" look. She huffed but followed him inside, raising an eyebrow at the pink neon sign "Devil May Cry" overhead.

The shop was tidy but bullet holes scattered around the walls as well as what appeared to be impressive and occasionally scary-looking trophies. She took a mental map of the room, memorising each individual piece of furniture, doors and notable decorations. The host himself sat leisurely on his chair with his feet propped up on his mahogany desk munching on a slice of pizza. "What can I get you, babe? Beer, pizza?"

"You got anything stronger?" she asked while plopping herself down on the sofa, wincing once her back made contact with the furniture. Dante shook his head. "Afraid not." She exhaled in annoyance then started massaging her eyes. "How long will I be staying here for, anyway?" Dante came back from the kitchen with a beer in each hand, handing her one. She instantly opened it, a fizzing sound accompanying it. "So long as it takes for me to take out that smooth-talker wannabe."

"Why do you care what happens to a nobody like me? Why did you even bother saving me?" she glanced at him then stared at her hands resting on her lap with somber eyes.

"Cause I won't sit by and let innocents get killed, not if I can help it. Even if she seems to have a death wish." He gave her a disapproving look. Ashamed at being scolded, especially by a stranger, she turned her full attention to the can in her hand, bringing it to her nose and sniffing it, more out of habit than distrust. "Soooo, no hidden motive, whatsoever?" she asked lightheartedly, trying to brighten the mood.

He placed an arm over the back of the couch next to her head and leaned uncomfortably close to her face, a cheeky grin forming. "Why, you want me to have a hidden motive? You don't have to deny being attracted to me, you know. I hear I'm quite the catch." She leaned away from him and sing-said "Hearing voices is never a good sign" while trying to conceal her smile behind the can unsuccessfully as she took a swig, grimacing at the taste. He looked away then stood up and murmured _I must be cursed._

He sat in front of her. "I know it's been one hell of a night, but why ever did you think that avenging your friend all by yourself would be a good idea?" He took a sip of his own beverage and leaned back against the head board of the furniture, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I don't know." She sighed mournfully. "Mandy and I were pretty close. To be honest, she was my first true friend. She was more supportive of me than my own family. She believed in me when no one else did, protected me when everyone was hurting me and she never asked for anything in return. I owe her my life."

"A life you were willing to throw away tonight." Dante offhandedly reminded her. Instead of the scowl he was expecting, the young woman's shoulders just slumped dejectedly as she let out a tired sigh. A reminiscing light entered her eyes as a minuscule curve of her lips appeared. "We met at the music store, unknowingly both searching for that one album to help us escape the world for a little while. We instantly connected. We had so many things in common from tastes in music, to hobbies, to what we liked in guys." Tena chuckled with a slight glazed over expression. "We moved out as soon as we could and with joined funds managed to find a small apartment. We were inseparable, or so I thought. She found a job as a tourist guide. She was happily working there for 5 years loved by all until she met that…_thing_." She spoke the last word with such repugnance it almost sounded like she was hissing.

She frowned, taking a large gulp of her beer before continuing. "One afternoon on my day-off she rushes in all excited, telling me of how she met her dream boyfriend at long last! He was a tourist, but it appears that the type of attractions he was interested in weren't on the brochure. She kept repeating how much of a mannered gentleman he is and how handsome and he treats her like a precious princess straight out of a fairy tale. I was suspicious alright, I wasn't gonna let anyone hurt my friend, so I asked to meet this mystery man. I got a bad vibe from him from the start. He was just too…perfect. He knew exactly what to say to make me feel at ease as if he knew me, as if he…I don't know, read my thoughts or at least encountered enough protective friends to know how to reassure them?"

"He was definitely reading your mind. What surprises me is that you were able to see through his act. Incubi are masters of persuasion." Dante remarked.

"I don't know. He was just…the perfect image of what a boyfriend in my head should be, no faults. Then a week after our first meeting he starts to hit on me! He was my best friend's boyfriend and he couldn't stop ogling me and complementing me. But when I told Mandy about it, she was enraged. You could not get through to her! Before, we could talk about anything, forgive and forget, but now? She wouldn't believe her best friend!" Tena placed her forehead in her palm and closed her eyes. "She was convinced he truly loved her and that_ I_ was the one who was trying to steal him away. Me!" Suddenly Tena's gaze averted to the ground, her voice turning melancholic. "When she raced out into the night, I was actually believing her, maybe I was misreading it and he was just being friendly in his own way. Knowing he's an incubus now, I know he manipulated both of us. Turning friend against friend. The _friend_ who failed to protect her in her greatest time of need."

A sob escaped her. "She did not show up the next day. I thought she was mad at me still, but I needed to apologise to her. Her colleagues said she missed work too. My worst fear manifested itself when the police showed up the day after. They found a body with her ID card. I had to confirm it's her." The young woman was openly shaking at this point. "I brought this on her! If only I had told her in a better way."

Dante listened attentively hearing such a story too many times. Still he reached across the table and patted her hand then stood up. "It's almost 2. You can have my room, it's upstairs." He casually pointed a thumb behind himself towards the staircase. He went to get himself another beer, but when he got back he found his guest sprawled uncomfortably halfway across the couch, halfway on the floor. He picked her up effortlessly and started heading towards the stairs. Tena's eyes ocassionally fluttered open then closed. "But I l-like this cou-uch soooo much." She slurred.

"And you wanted something stronger, Miss Lightweight!"

"He-eeey! Totally not my fault! The beer st-st…started it! It kept laughing at my misery. Did youuu seeee?" Then she snorted all of a sudden and started giggling uncontrollably. "First time drunk and I'm being carried into a dude's bed drrooooom! Dad would be soooo proud!"

"You wish! I like my babes sober!" he retorted. "You wouldn't remember how much you loved it so what's the point?" She yawned and her eyes dropped closed. Dante nudged the door open with his foot and carefully placed Tena on the bed, turning her on her side. She certainly knocked herself out. Did she even drink 3 full cans? Hopefully her hangover won't make her more intolerable. He cast one last glance at her quietly snoring form, then returned to his seat at his desk. The incubus certainly took a beating and would take some time to recover, so the mission was not a complete failure. But he has to learn more about him if he wants to stop him with minimal casualties. Tena pretty much explained every incubus and succubus's abilities. Dante would have to see where he will most likely strike next. But most importantly how is he going to pay Lady tomorrow?

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_I feel terrible for not updating for sooo long. I decided to update chapter 3 with the next bit instead of making it a new chapter, I felt it belonged together. So this is the last chapter that deals with the direct aftermath of the fight. The next chapter will start introducing our heroine to the devil hunter's daily life and circle of friends. Thank you all for reading, following and leaving favs and reviews! It really means a lot to me : )  
_


	5. Chapter 4 - Regroup

**Chapter 4: Regroup**

_A/N: Patty's Back! And Tena will meet another member of the crew! So sorry for the extra late update.  
_

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The relatively calm and quiet morning was interrupted by a sudden clang emitted by the poor abused front door as it made contact with the wall, possibly breaking off chips with it. "Rise and shine, lazy head! You will fix that TV today! My favourite show's on this afternoon!" Patty trotted towards his desk, only to notice a foreign object on the couch, a jeans jacket. A woman's jeans jacket. She cautiously walked towards it to inspect it. Just as she lifted it up, a loud thud could be heard from upstairs along with a muffled string of curses.

"Dante! What's the meaning of this?" The devil hunter in question just shrugged and replied offhandedly with "just another job." Just when the blonde-head opened her mouth to retort, a nest of brown hair appeared by the stairs, then it loudly landed on the banister that was followed with another round of muffled profanities. "Just what kind of a job are you talking about, you pervert?" The young woman lifted her head and scanned the area below her. She quickly shook her head, her dark brown waves floating around her, and then sluggishly descended while heavily leaning on the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom Patty skipped over to her and waved at her. "Hi! I'm Patty!" she greeted cheerfully. "Are you a client?"

"Morning." She yawned. "I'm Tena and I…guess? If clients pay with pizzas, then yeah!" She rubbed her eyes, then her forehead, hoping to ease away the splitting headache she got from last night. _Pizzas_? Patty thought, _How is Dante gonna pay back all his debt with pizzas? _The brunette teetered towards the couch and laid back with her eyes closed.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine in the morning!" The male in the room chimed in. "Speaking of pizzas, I'm starving!" Having said that, he picked up the phone and hastily dialled the pizzeria while Patty let out an annoyed groan and slouched down on the couch with her arms crossed, staring at Dante's reflection on the TV's black screen. "Hallo, it's Devil May Cry…yeah, the usual but this time make it four." Angry muttering could be heard from the other end and the devil hunter had to hold the phone away from his ear then once the volume decreased he replied. "Of course, it's all taken care of. I have the mone…Of course I'm serious! I'll settle it with the delivery boy! When? Twenty minutes? Great! And no olives, I'm getting sick of olives on my pizzas!" Then the phone flew up into the air and landed with a loud clatter. The devil hunter turned his attention back to his most recent lady friend and winked at her. "You'll be paying babe!" She exhaled loudly then shrugged her shoulders and stood up. "What a gentleman! Whatever, but I'm warning you I'm not some billionaire so I'm ONLY paying for the pizzas you've ordered just now, not your entire tab!" Dante feigned a hurtful look. "Babe, I'm hurt, you'd think me that dishonourable." The brunette massaged her temples.

"How about some coffee?" The white-haired male asked. Tena just nodded, her thoughts still fuzzy. "Great! Kitchen's that way!" She just stared in pure shock at the male in question and his none too chivalrous demeanour. However her outrage went unnoticed since he has already buried his nose in a new women's fashion magazine, judging from the cover, some goth-style ball gown attires.

After some clanking noises, the distinct smell of coffee started to emanate from the kitchen. Soon after a slightly calmer brunette came back with a cup of steaming coffee and sat back down on the couch. She brought it to her lips and took a sip. Patty sat down beside her and sniffed the steam oozing from her cup. "Eww. It smells awful. Mommy drinks it often too and I can't understand why!"

Tena chuckled and gently pet the crown of the little girl's head. "_Pat-pat_, most people drink coffee for the wakeup slap it gives you in the morning. That's why I drink it without sugar or milk." The blonde-head sat at the opposite end of the couch crossing her arms facing away from the source of the pungent smell sticking her tongue out in a disgusted expression. "I still wouldn't drink it!" Patty chirped with a tiny frown. "Wait, Pat-pat?" Dante let out a snort at the nickname. If looks could kill…Tena chuckled and winked at the little girl, who turned away with a pouty and flushed expression. She took another sip and let out a satisfied sigh.

Just then, the sound of screeching tyres and the engine dying disturbed the companionable silence that settled over the shop. Dante glanced in the general direction of the door then casually walked over to it and opened it…only to come face to face with a short raven haired woman. He leaned into the doorframe in a sultry manner. "I didn't know you signed up as pizza delivery girl. Gotta admit, I love the new uniform! Rarr rarr" A biker helmet landed in the middle of the room, missing its intended mark, as he sprung back onto the couch returning to his previous lounging position. Soon afterwards a short woman in a leather biker outfit walked into the room. "You know that flirting won't work on me! Morisson told me of a job…" She stopped in the middle of her sentence once she spotted the male's companions and proceeded to scrutinize the still slightly hangover young woman.

"Oh, hi Patty!" she greeted the little blonde with a genuine smile. The little girl in question waved enthusiastically at the newcomer. "Hi Lady! We're having pizza later, wanna join?" She shook her head. "No thanks I'm in a rush anyway." Then she turned fully towards the brunette, her smile dropping into a polite grin. "So, how do you know this loser anyway?" Tena raised her eyebrows at Dante, then let out a sigh. "We kinda were after the same guy/demon." The Devil hunter glared at her. She let out an even longer and louder sigh this time. He raised an eyebrow impatiently, waiting for her to clarify. "…aaaaand I might have allowed him to escape."

The tension in the room dissipated when the stern newcomer burst out laughing. "Are you...I mean…." She took a deep breath. "This is GOLD! Seriously, Dante! I would have expected you to destroy the club trying to catch this thing, but actually lose it! This is new!" All of a sudden her expression turned serious. "Though, I hope you know this means no payment for this mission and a serial killer on the loose, knowing full-well he's been discovered. He'll be much more careful now."

"And a bit more tricky to find." Dante placed his arms behind his head and successfully huffed the fringe out of his field of vision. "Tell me something I don't know. However, not before giving him something to keep him busy for a little while. He should still be recovering from our encounter so I highly doubt he has the energy, or quite frankly, the looks to macho around."

Lady shook her head and placed her left hand at her hip. "Well what now? We're just going to wait for him to attack again at a new night club? This was the best clue we had to catching him and now we have no idea where to search!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. The devil hunter's handsome features turned into an unreadable expression.

"Not necessarily." Tena placed her cup on the table, leaned back and shot a calculated look towards the two. "We might have something to go on. He may be an incubus and act different for every victim, depending on their preferences, BUT just like with every killer, there must be some consistency, right? A method to his killing if you will." She stood up and slowly started to walk towards the window, leaning on the railing. "Back when he 'dated' Mandy he went by the name Colm Pool, he used the exact same first name last night as well. Mandy said that he lived on Ashmont Avenue, you know, not even 5 minutes' walk from the park. I've never been there myself but from what she told me, it's a 4 storey building where he rented a flat on the 2nd floor."

Dante stood up. "Well, that sounds like a good place to start." He grabbed his guitar case and started to move towards the door. "Wait." Lady grabbed his arm. "We can't just rush head-first into this. Let me ask around, find out as much as I can about this 'Colm Pool' guy. If you two showed up, he would recognize you immediately and flee." Dante shot her an annoyed look.

"What am I expected to do in the meantime, huh? Knit a sweater? This is MY mission! MY demon! MY pay!"

"Don't worry. Because I have a heart of gold, I won't ask you to share with me." She smirked. "You'll end up paying it all to me anyway for my debt."

"You really are an evil woman, Lady."

"Yeah, yeah." She headed outside, but before exiting the building she turned towards the duo. "I'll keep you guys posted."

Once the sound of her motorbike was no longer heard, Dante turned towards Tena. "You couldn't have told me this sooner, like yesterday?" Tena shouted back. "I just remembered!"

There was a quiet knock on the door. Dante walked up to it. A timid teenage boy stood balancing 4 boxes on his arm.

"You ordered 4 pizzas?"


End file.
